Water diversions imperil Western Slope river flow
Denver Post Re: “Fraser’s Ehlert says diversions damaging food sources on Colorado River,” March 30 Outdoors story.
Kudos to reporter Scott Willoughby for alerting Coloradans about how water diversions to the Front Range are seriously damaging Western Slope rivers. The Colorado and Fraser rivers and their fisheries already are on the verge of collapse due to existing Front Range diversions. Additional diversions from the proposed Windy Gap and Moffat Tunnel expansion projects could flatline the Fraser and devastate what’s left of the upper Colorado — unless these projects include strict safeguards and guaranteed flow protections. Front Range residents should tell their elected leaders that they care about protecting our rivers and streams. Nothing less than Colorado’s quality of life is at stake.
Drew Peternell, Boulder
The writer is director of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project.